Axe_FX II Rigs, or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love Digital Modelling.

Clarky

guitarfishbay said:

Clarky;524386" said:

JCM800set it up so it's cooking -  the input drive high [7 or higher], MV mid [4 to 6]fatten it [amp: eq page: 500Hz small cut, small boost to the bands below 500]fry it: switch on the amp: boost switchit's simply wonderful..

Apparently boost switch is the same as input trim on 4. I think boost can be switched by CC though which might be a bonus for some people.

yes that sounds about right to me... I deliberately keep this sort of thing outside of the amp block now because modifiers on the X side are imposed on the Y side.. so if I use a vol block to handle the boost, I can switch it on / off per scene.. something you can't do with a modifier [unless you use a scene controller [but I already use these for other stuff]

guitarfishbay

I just had a quick go on the beta:

- It is louder by default, at least on my 6505 patch which I was playing on prior to switching over.  I didn't measure it, only going off what I heard but I'm pretty sure it was louder after I finished updating.  I turned my output knob down to where it felt it was before and carried on playing.

- Your speaker page will get reset (a bit of a pain as I use a real cab with same speaker settings every time so have to reset everything back the way it was).  However some of the settings with wider Q than I'd use actually sounded tighter and less flubby, so I think they've done something to stop it being so prone to flubbiness.  I guess the test will be checking out the SLO later on (if they've G3'd it?) as that amp is quite annoying on the Axe when it comes to low end.

- Seems dynamic controls also reset.  But I reckon you'd need to redial those in again anyway as the low end responds differently on some amps.  You can't do negative dynamic depth any more (not really a loss!).

- There is a crunch parameter.  If you turn it up to full on some amps it will cut out like an overloaded fuzz pedal.  Not played a lot with it yet, but it seems pretty central to the FW as each amp seems to have a different default crunch value.

My 6505 patch sounds a bit thicker in a good way.

5153 red actually seemed like it had less gain but more crunch.  Recto 2 Red Modern was a bit more crunchy too but gain felt the same, bass seems more punchy and less flubby (but the patch I'm using has a TS anyway).

Just my first impressions from a couple of minutes (hopefully while 17.04 was still fresh in my memory).

Hopefully we've got a rehearsal next week so I can try it out up loud.  I took a backup of my 17.04 patches so no big deal if I want to roll back.

Handsome_Chris

guitarfishbay;524439" said:

[quote="Clarky;524386"]JCM800set it up so it's cooking -  the input drive high [7 or higher], MV mid [4 to 6]fatten it [amp: eq page: 500Hz small cut, small boost to the bands below 500]fry it: switch on the amp: boost switchit's simply wonderful..

Apparently boost switch is the same as input trim on 4. I think boost can be switched by CC though which might be a bonus for some people.[/quote]

AndyJP said:

Handsome_Chris said:

AndyJP;523970" said:

Boys I think you all need to get out more

Nope.

No wonder Pete Thorn can't be arsed with us.

Are you saying that Pete Thorn finds my guitar nerdiness repellant?

guitarfishbay

Handsome_Chris said:

I'm still at work and I'm excited about this. I really am looking forward to getting hom and reving the tets out of my cab.

Handsome_Chris

You make one innocent typo and people make a big delia out of it.

AndyJP

Just blanc them mate

Clarky

so guys... what's the verdict on the G3 modelling in fw18

paulmapp8306

For me - using the Matrix amp/zilla cab - Its more alive if that makes sense.  It seems to have a harder attack?  less rounded but without getting brittle.  Really noticeable with pushed cleans like the Badger/Dr Z/Shiva etc - and lower gain classic amps like the 1974.

Im not a really high gain player, but amps I do use in that vein like the CAE stuff and SLO seem to have more definition whilst also being fatter?  Less of a difference to my ears but still an improvement.

Its one of the characturistics the Kemper guys go on about being int heir unit the AFX was missing.  Dont think its missing any more.  Its just a jot to play - and the louder the better

Handsome_Chris

Are any of you AF2-ers coming to The Guitar Show?

Clarky

I am… yaaayyyyyy

Roland

FW18 works for me. Many of the previous firmware updates have left me thinking "either my ears don't work or there's not much of an improvement". The "best thing since sliced bread hyperbole" on the Fractal forum used to irritate me.  FW17.03 was an exception. It brought additional clarity, and I realised that other people might be hearing things that I don't hear, or don't pay attention to because they're not important in my sound.  FW18 has a big impact on the Fender/Dumble amp types and low gain sounds that I use. It sounds as if two things have happened. First, the distortion varies more with frequency, meaning that there is less clutter. Second, the note develops, which is about transients and decay. As a consequence I'm going to refine my patches, taking out some of the compensations which I no longer need, and reduce the number of amp types that I use because I can now get a better range of tones from fewer amps.

Clarky said:

so guys... what's the verdict on the G3 modelling in fw18

Not sure whether I shall get to the guitar show, but if I do I'll bring my rig to the forum party.

Clarky

I know what you mean.. the cool thing is that staying on one fw isn't mandatory.. you can go back

I've done a couple of times where the latest / greatest at the time fundamentally didn't work for me [6 in particular]..

I recall a few that were great leaps forward [9 was a biggie for me I think]

I think I preferred 17.03 to 17.04 too [although I stayed on 17.04]

I'm loving 18 though.. beautiful

Handsome_Chris

9 was the FW update with scenes, which we were all using (in beta) at Axe-Fest UK.

paulmapp8306

Which seems sooooo long ago now.

Handsome_Chris

I believe that it was in 2012. There really needs to be another, maybe this year? It's just a case of where to hold it.

guitarfishbay

I can't copy paste the photo on my phone... http://forum.fractalaudio.com/axe-fx-ii-discussion/96382-im-just-going-leave-here.html

guitarfishbay

From Cliff -

"I'll just say a few things:

It is not an Axe-Fx. It won't be able to do two amps or two cabs. It won't have things like the Vocoder and other esoteric blocks. It's a stripped down floor version at an aggressive price.

It will have G3 modeling and user IR slots. It has two dual-core DSPs, one for amp modeling the other for effects. These DSPs are slower than the ones in the Axe-Fx so it won't be able to do two instance of amps.

There will be block compatibility between the Axe-Fx and the AX-8 meaning you can copy blocks from your Axe-Fx presets into the AX-8.

It has USB, XLR outs for FOH, 1/4 outputs for local monitoring and an FX loop. Four expression pedal inputs. AC powered, no wall-wart."

guitarfishbay

Hmm, only one amp at a time is a bad move IMO. Though I guess this is their 'budget' unit. Depends how quickly it switches patches though.

paulmapp8306

I only ever use one amp at a time - and always have with the exception of a Plexi patch that used the normal and treble versions before the jump option was available.  Consequently I dont think its a bad move.

It will give AFX standard modelling - as it uses G3 - at a lower price point, with the floorboard included.  Depends what the fional price is - but I think this will fall straight into the "ideal unit at great price" that many many guitarists are looking for.    

guitarfishbay

To be honest I also mostly use one amp, and this could probably meet my FX needs too. I'm just thinking of user experience if there are dropouts when changing patch. But I guess nobody has heard it yet so it is pure speculation.